Attachable swimmer&#39;s device.



F. LEITNER.

ATTACHABLE SWIMMERS DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 05030, 1915.

L1 92 659. lalvnted July 25, 1916.

FRANK LEI'I'NEB, OF ROEBLING, NEW JERSEY.

ATTACHELBLE S'WTMMERS DEVICE.

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Specification oiletters Patent.

rarenrea'aci as, rare.

Application filed December so, rare. Serial No. carer.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Lnrrivnn, a citizen of Hungary, and residentof the United States, residing at Roebling, in the county of Burlingtonand State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful limprovements inAttachable Swimmers Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device adapted to be secured upon the lowerportion of each leg of a' swimmer and the objects in view are to providemeans whereby an increase or speed may be obtained by a person whileswimming, and to aid a swimmer in making a treading movement in thewater.

My invention consists of a small umbrella shaped device designed to besecured on the calf of the leg and near to each ankle of a swimmer andso constructed thatas one leg is brought forward in the water the deviceis'caused to close to a collapsed condition upon that log, and while theother leg is forced rearward the device on this leg is caused to bebrought to a full open condition and dispose a large area of the surfacecover of the device to thrust against the water by the swimmer, andwhereby an increase of speed is obtained in swimming, or to aid inmaking a treading movement in the water.

In the accompanying sheet oi drawings Figure 1 represents the positionof the swimmer in the water and also indicates the workings of thedevice on the arms as well as on the legs in an open and closedposition. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view, showing my device in apartly open position, with one side of its cover of canvas partly open.Fig. 3 is a perspective view oi. the arm swimming device, Fig. 4 is asectional view of a portion of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is an end elevation ofthe device shown in Fig. 3, with the straps engaged.

Like reference characters indicate like parts.

The frame of my device, body A, con sists of a 1 inch wide leatherstrap, lined with felt, as indicated by 1 and a buckle attached on oneend of the strap, as indicated by 2, which can be made of either brassor iron. The other end of the leather, body A, is perforated and can beadjusted according to the thickness of the leg.

' N 0. 3 indicates an angle of inch thicloness, inch wide and inch deepin which two holes are drilled. One side of the angle is attached by acopper rivet, l, to bodv A and the other part of the angle is attadheclto the rib of this device, 5, with rivet, 6. The extreme lower end ofthe rib is fastened to the canvas by strong cotton, practically sewed.The center of the rib is also strengthened by a small leatherstrapiwhich runs through the canvas as shown on Fig. 4 at 13.

No. 7 indicates a very soft leather whereby the canvas, 8, and the bodyA are attached together so as to form a. hinge for the canvas, 8, allaround body A.

No. 9 is a patent button which is used on both sides of the canvas andwith which, after swimmer attaches the device, the canvas can be broughtinto a closed and fastened condition so as to form an umbrella shapewhen in use, as shown on Fig. 1, right foot. No. 10 also indicates a'strap 1 inch wide which is attached to body A and used on the bottom ofthe foot to avoid slipping.

- No. 1'1 indicates another 1 inch wide strap attached to 10 with copperrivets, 14, and

perforated on one end, 11, with a buckle on the other end, 12, whichprevents 10 from working back and forth on the foot.

No. 1.3 on Fig. 4 indicates inch square leather lace attached to therib, 5, and riveted to 10, as shown by 14..

No. 16 indicates a perforated leather strap inch wide on both sidesattached to a leather band, 18, and the upper end fastened by a copperrivet, 17, to the band, 18. This strap, 16, is for the purpose ofadjusting the device to suit or fit swimmers leg as indicated by 15.

N0. 18 as dcscribcchis a leather band or strap attached to 16 by acopper rivet on both sides, as indicated at 17, and used to fasten thedevice to the upper part of the leg, or underneath the knee with buckle,19.

Fig. 3 is an open view of the device applied to a fore arm which is usedin connec tion with the device on the leg, as shown in Fig. 1. At Fig. 1it is shown in an open or active and collapsed or inactive positiononthe swimmers arm. The device shown .in Fig. 3 is shown on the left armof the swimmer in Fig. 1, with the wings outspread and as it wouldappear when the arm to which the device is attached is thrown out in thewater. On the right arm of Fig. 1 is a view of the device with the wingscoming to a collapsed conditionas the arm is drawn toward surface of thewater. Fig. 3

is a detail view showing how the frames of the wings, hinges, etc, areconnected to the body of the device. The body, A, of the device consistsof a 1% inch leather strap lined partially with felt, l, to cover andprotect the arm when fastened thereon. N0. 2 indica s a buckle on bothends of body A which can be made of either brass or iron fastened orsewed to body A for securing its free ends together. No. 3 indicates aloop which is used for the locking of the 5nd of the strap of body Aafter buckled, as shown in Figs. 3 and No. a indicates, a 1% inch widesquare shaped cork which is attached to body A, out half round inside tofit the shape of the arm, and riveted or sewed to body A at 5, andsupporting the ,wings, 9, as can be seen in Fig. 5 at 4.. No. 6

indicates a center board to which is riveted a body A on both ends. No.7 indicates brass hinges screwed to 6 and 9 at 8. No. 9 indicates thewings of the device which can be made of wood or other suitablematerial. No. 10 indicates a brace made of wood or other suitablematerial and screwed to wing, 9, bya brass screw at 1 1, to preventwings, 9 from cracking or splitting from the force of the stroke. Italso keeps the wings, 9, from coming to a fully closed condition, asshown in Fig. l on the right hand of the swimmer.

-By practicaldemonstrationl provide a device of the characters hereinmentioned all that is necessary to afiord a great increase of speed inswimming and without any extla. exertion on the part of the swimmer.This device may be used to great advantage in the water in giving aid tosupport a person from drowning. Futhermore, by my construction andarrangement of parts, provide a device that may not only be used byswimmers, but also by those desirous of learning the art of swimming, asit lessens fear of drowning and is a device that is inexpensive tomanufacture.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a swimming device for the leg, upper and lower and intermediate legencircling straps, connecting means for the ends of each of said straps,side straps joining said encircling straps, the upper strap beingadjustable vertically relative to said intermediate strap, a canvas webconnected to said intermediate strap by means of a leather hinge, andconnecting means for the ends of said web.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK LEITNER.

Witnesses:

JAMns HARGA,

JULiNs Mnzanno.

